Microwave Quasi-Periodic Pulsations in Multi-timescales Associated with a Solar Flare/CME Event

Abstract

Microwave observations of quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in multi-timescales at the Solar Broadband Radio Spectrometer in Huairou (SBRS/Huairou) on 2006 December 13 are confirmed to be associated with an X3.4 flare/coronal mass ejection (CME) event. It is most remarkable that the timescales of QPPs are distributed in a broad range from hectoseconds (very long period pulsation, VLP, P>100 s), decaseconds (long period pulsation, LPP, 10 < P < 100 s), a few seconds (short period pulsation, SPP, 1 < P < 10 s), deciseconds (slow very short period pulsation, slow-VSP, 0.1 < P < 1.0 s), to centiseconds (fast very short period pulsation, fast-VSP, P < 0.1 s), and form a broad hierarchy. The statistical distribution of QPPs in logarithmic period-duration space indicates that all the QPPs can be classified into two groups: group I includes VLP, LPP, SPP, and some slow-VSPs distributed approximately around a line; group II includes fast-VSP and most of the slow-VSPs dispersively distributed away from the above line. This feature implies that the generation mechanism of group I is different from group II. Group I is possibly related to some MHD oscillations in magnetized plasma loops in the active region; e.g., VLPs may be generated by standing slow sausage mode coupling, resonating with the underlying photospheric 5 minute oscillation, with the modulation amplified and forming the main framework of the whole flare/CME process; LPPs, SPPs, and some slow-VSPs are most likely to be caused by standing fast modes or LRC-circuit resonance in current-carrying plasma loops. Group II is possibly generated by modulations of resistive tearing-mode oscillations in electric current-carrying flaring loops.